The second annual Hog Days of Summer, hosted by the Druids Charity Club, is Saturday from 3-9 p.m. at the Union Station Train Shed. Banditos, who released a new album Visionland last year, is a Nashville-based band originally from Birmingham.

"It’s important to us to be a part of good causes, especially affecting children," said Mary Beth Richardson, vocals and tambourine for Banditos. "We hope to bring some smiles that day."

Along with Richardson, Banditos is a soulful blues-rock-country band made up of Timothy Steven Corey Parsons (vocals, guitar), Stephen Alan Pierce II (vocals, banjo), Randy Taylor Wade (percussion), Jeffery Daniel Vines (bass), and Jeffery David Salter (electric guitar, lap steel). Their most recent album is Visionland, released in 2017 and named after the former theme park in Bessemer.

General admission tickets are $10 in advance at eventbrite.com, and are $15 on the day of the show. Children 12 and under who are accompanied by an adult get in free.

Richardson took time to answer a few questions for us:

Banditos will headline at Hog Days of Summer on Saturday in Montgomery.(Photo: Nicole Mago)

First off, glad to have you all back in the States. How was the European tour?

"Fantastic! We played 3 festivals over there, but they were all something else. First we played a festival on the east coast of France, right one the water, where we had the opportunity to play a set right after France has taken the World Cup! Spirits were high and there were a lot of spirits. Next we went all the way over to the Czech Republic to play Colours of Ostrava where a mere 40 thousand people attend. That was A+. Then we travelled north to play Höganäs Sweden for their Bombin Run, where some 400 bikers ride to the coast together and jump off a cliff for a cannonball competition. After there’s a party with music. That’s where we come in. It’s so wholesome."

From what I’m seeing, Banditos has a wide mix of styles that came together originally – everything from punk to rock to classical jazz to church choir. How does that mix influence your sound today?

"Yeah, well we all came up all different ways, but we all fused together in our angsty teen phases. So, a lot of punk rock, hardcore and beginnings of delving into old time country music. Somehow those came around together. All along some semblance of that emotional flavor everyone dusted on the likes of pop & rock. We came into our late teens and early 20s passing a bottle around a record player to a lot of the great rock, blues and country folks, and end up with some commutation of angst and respect for our elders. It’s a strange place, but weird is good."

What singers do you identify with, and was Janis Joplin one of them?

"I came up in a southern Baptist Church and school where there were two kinds of music: Christian and secular. So, not to say I wasn’t raised with a healthy dose of oldies and the albums my mom and dad were raised on, I was raised with mainstream Christian artists as my bread and butter, and all those others had to seep in through the cracks. My mom would blast Carol King’s 'Tapestry' or the Carpenters self titled and my dad would blast CCR, The Eagles and The Band. That playing all the way while Carmen, Newsboys and DC Talk were around made a weird mix of what music was supposed to sound like. The first album I ever bought myself was Shania Twain’s 'The Woman in Me.' She was the coolest to 8 year old me. So to get back on topic I had listened to Janis growing up and always thought she was intriguing, but she wasn’t in the forefront of my childhood by any means. It’s a natural assumption to think she was my ideal and she rightfully should be, and most every self empowered badass out there’s idol. She was just some good feelings mixed in my all around late education of real balls to the wall rock and roll."

Instrumentally, y’all are very versatile. I think I’ve even heard some kazoo thrown in there.

"The kazoo kind of weaseled itself into our regular set when I couldn’t whistle loud enough for our song 'Long Gone Anyway.' Everyone seemed to love it in the crowd, so it became a full time position."

You’re Southern, and you definitely rock, but do you see yourselves as what people consider to be Southern rock?

"I have no idea what we are. I know that what we do turns out cohesive to us and makes us feel good, so I guess that’s all that matters."

Talk about Birmingham’s music scene. Do you miss it now that you’re up in Nashville?

"Oh yeah, we definitely miss Birmingham’s scene. There are some staple members of that community that keep it fresh and exciting, and it’s only growing. It’s nice to go back for a visit and see new stores, venues and broader music community really thriving."

Visionland, released by Banditos in 2017.(Photo: Courtesy Banditos)

So Visionland the park obviously has a special place in your hearts. Have any of you been back to the park since it reopened as Alabama Splash Adventure?

"I went back a little after it reopened and had a great time with 3 of my lady friends. We did both parks and I have a very embarrassing photo of all of us on the log ride making the worst faces you can imagine."

Along with all the music at Hog Days of Summer, there’s going to be a lot of food going around. So who among Banditos can eat the most BBQ?

"If you put a wager on it, I think any one of us could be tempted to take that challenge."

Anything you want to say to all the fans here?

"Missed you, Montgomery! Can’t wait to be back in your lovin arms!"

Banditos will headline at Hog Days of Summer on Saturday in Montgomery.(Photo: Vivian Wang)